The Power of a Hat
by CrystalIceLover
Summary: Reid and Garcia have a heart-to-heart conversation triggered by a hat. My challenge with Mindspsychoaddict. My item and pairing? Reid/Garcia and a hat.


**It is finished! After days of waiting, I have finally put up my challenge from Mindspsychoaddict. My pairing was Reid/Garcia and my object a hat.**

**Mindspsychoaddict, this goes out to you for being so completely amazing. I hope everyone likes it!**

I walked quickly through the busy streets of Washington D.C., trying to forget what had just happened. I'd known her for years, but there were times when I began to realize why she was a force to be reckoned with. But she'd never find me here, not in a city of 601,723 in a metropolis of 5.9 million.

Spotting a coffee shop, I swiftly ducked inside and sat down in the back of the coffee shop, hoping she wouldn't find me here. But almost as soon as I thought it, I watched, slightly horrified by her impeccable timing, I watched her walk into the shop and look around, her eyes searching for me. Deep down I wasn't surprised. She _was _Garcia. She probably hacked into the live feed of Washington D.C.'s cameras on the street.

I hunched down, expecting her to rush over to me. When the seat across from me stayed empty, I glanced up in her direction. She was ordering a drink from the counter. Lucky me to choose the one coffee shop Garcia frequented for a hideout. I glanced at the door and deduced that it would take me about fifty seconds to get myself from my seat to the door. Looking back at our blonde technical analyst, I noticed with a jolt that she was still holding the hat in her free hand.

I shuddered slightly. The idea behind the hat was kind, but it was creepy that she'd been able to find one on such short notice. It was like she'd been waiting for this day. As I slinked towards the exit, I found my way blocked by the intimidating figure of Derek Morgan, who was currently grinning. I turned around to face Garcia, who proceeded to place the hat on my head as I flinched. Her hands now on her hips, and blonde curls bouncing, as Morgan moved to stand beside her as she asked, "Boy Wonder...well we can't really cal you boy genius anymore. And seeing as The Dark Knight is taken," she smiled at Morgan before continuing, "and Hotch is very Superman like...hmm, I'll have to think about this. Anyway, why didn't you tell us that you were going to be a father? You know we've all waiting for the chance to hear the sound of baby geniuses running around DC"

"Yah Reid," Morgan chimed in, making me turn and glare at him. "You could've told us. We didn't even know Claire existed until she ran into the BAU today!"

"Maybe I didn't tell you because I knew you guys would react this way,"

Morgan watched me curiously for a few seconds before saying that he had a date before leaving me alone with Garcia.

"Ok Reid," she spoke first, her blue eyes searching my face. "I'm not a profiler, but I hang around enough of you to pick up the habits. Something is bothering you and don't try to deny it." She sat down and began to sip her coffee, watching me.

I sat down and stared at the table for a few minutes before looking up at Garcia and asking, "Do you know how I met Claire?"

"You're changing the subject, but I do want to know about your love story, so go right on ahead."

So I told her. I'd go to the library a few blocks away from my apartment most Friday evenings when I was in DC. I'd been sitting in a corner on a beanbag chair reading a book on genetics when she'd walked up to me. She'd called to me a few times before I realized that she was talking to me. I'd looked up and seen one of the most prettiest women I'd ever seen. She had dark red hair and green eyes, which was the rarest hair-eye combination. She most likely has two parents with red hair and had high levels of reddish pigment pheometanin. I glanced down at the book in my hands; it was beginning to affect my thought process. "Um...h...hi" I added a little wave, smiling nervously.

She flashed a dazzling smile and asked, "You're here a lot right?"

I nodded, "Y...yes, but only when I'm in town,"

"I was wondering if you knew if there was a section of medical books here. I'm sort of new to this library."

"You're in medical school?" I instantly regretted asking that. If you were looking for medical books, the probability of being in medical school was quite high.

She nodded, "yeah, it's pretty hard, but it's worth it. You get to help people."

"Do you have a field in mind for when you get your license?"

"I was thinking about being either a brain surgeon, or an allergist or maybe a paediatrician. I really don't know. They're all so important."

I nodded in agreement. "But whichever field you choose, I'm sure you'll be good at it."

"Thanks," she stopped and said, "So, where is the medical section?"

"Oh, it's right over there," I pointed to my left and her smile grew.

"Thank you..."

"Reid. Well that's my last name. I'm Spencer. Spencer Reid." I nodded unnecessarily, gripping the book in my hands tighter.

"Well then, thank you Spencer Reid."

As she walked away, I called to her, "I never got your name,"

She'd turned around and said that her name was Claire.

I blinked away the memory and looked at Garcia, who was smiling slightly, "cute, but something's bothering you."

"It's the hat. May I please take it off?"

"Oh, why? Do you have any idea how long that took to make?"

"You made this hat," I asked, pointing to the object in question on my head. "And it was just sitting there in your office until this happened?" I stared at her, wondering just how much free time she had.

"Of course I did. I have one for each member of my family."

"Then how come JJ didn't get one?" I was suddenly aware of my vocal register getting higher with each word and the smirk on Garcia's face.

"Henry was born before I started making the hats," she leaned towards me and was about to speak when I cut her off.

"You want to know what's bothering me."

A smile graced her lips, "You really are a genius. So start talking."

I sighed, looked around the cafe once before returning my gaze to the blonde in front of me and began to talk quickly, My dad left me and my mom when I was ten. I didn't have a paternal figure while growing up. What if I'm a terrible father? And my mother suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and it can be hereditary. What if I pass this on to my child? And what if he or she has my intelligence—"

"Reid," Garcia interrupted calmly, "all of your other points make sense but not the intelligence one. I know people who would kill to have your brain. Reid, you will be a great father. Your great with Henry, but secretly, he prefers his fairy godmother," she winked at me and I couldn't help but let myself relax a bit. Garcia has a way of making you feel better.

"But I was bullied as a kid because of my intelligence. And kids aren't always as innocent as society makes them out to be. He or she could still be bullied."

"Reid, you can't shelter a child from everything. You have to let the child into the real world. Yes, bad things happen. We know this better than anyone. But there's also beauty and love and everyone deserves a chance to experience it.

"But what about the fact that they could inherit schizophrenia?" I watched her carefully, pleading with her to understand with my eyes.

"What are the statistics on hereditary schizophrenia? I know this is important to you, but there is medication and there are many well-respected and known people with mental illness,"

"There's a fifty% higher of developing schizophrenia with a history of drug abuse. The National Institutes of Health say that there's a 10% chance of inheriting the illness—"

"This coming from someone who survived inhaling anthrax. The chances of dying from that are 99.9%. so you are known for defying statistics, doctor." She set her coffee cup down on the table as her gaze softened, "And besides, whatever happens, you and Claire are still going to love this child unconditionally. And if you're still worried about being a bad father, talk to Hotch for advice. And you have us, your family, who will always be there."

She picked up her coffee cup and smiled at me one last time before walking out of the cafe, leaving me alone with my thoughts as I pulled the hat off and stared at the wording on it: Congratulations Reid, you're going to be a dad!


End file.
